CARMOTIQ Model Research Report
Toyota Camry
2016–2021
The Toyota Camry MOT pass rate for cars first registered 2016–2021 is 93.4% across 3,792 official UK DVSA tests. Tyres — worn close to the limit or feathered on the edge — account for 743 MOT defect notes on UK Toyota Camry cars in the 2016–2021 registration band, dwarfing every other fault type in the log. Yet the same fleet still returns a 93.4% pass rate over 3,792 official DVSA tests, which tells you where attention belongs at viewing time: rubber, lights, and basic upkeep rather than recurring mechanical design flaws.
Unlike a registration check, this report analyses how thousands of similar Toyota Camry models have performed at MOT over time—not just one vehicle.
Report Dataset
- Official UK DVSA MOT tests analysed
- 3,792
- Recorded defect notes
- 2,137
- Registration era
- 2016–2021
- Coverage
- United Kingdom
- Snapshot
- 17 August 2026
- Research method
- Aggregated model-level MOT analysis
MOT pass rate
93.4%
of MOT tests passed
MOT tests analysed
3,792
Defect notes recorded
2,137
Key Findings
Toyota Camry (2016–2021)
- The Toyota Camry posts a 93.4% MOT pass rate across 3,792 DVSA tests for cars first registered between 2016 and 2021.
- Of 2,137 recorded defect notes, 1,652 (77%) are classified as owner maintenance, 153 as wear-related ageing, and just 24 as systemic.
- Tyres worn close to the legal limit or worn on the edge is the single most recorded fault at 743 mentions — far ahead of headlamp aim too low at 27.
- Systemic defects are rare: the three most frequent items are a cracked registration plate (2), an inoperative engine management warning lamp (2), and excessive play in the lower steering column universal joint (1).
- Owner-maintenance defect notes include 90 classified as Dangerous, 130 as Major, and 1,343 as Advisory — with tyre condition the dominant theme throughout.
Toyota Camry Research Summary
Carmotiq's Toyota Camry dataset covers 3,792 MOT tests on cars from the 2016–2021 registration era — the 5–10 year age band where make-and-model history is deep enough to draw meaningful comparisons. A 93.4% pass rate is solid, but 2,137 defect notes were still logged across those tests. The split is heavily skewed toward owner maintenance (1,652 notes) over wear-related ageing (153) or systemic issues (24). Tyres alone account for 743 defect entries — worn close to the legal limit or worn on the edge — followed by smaller clusters around headlamp aim, tyre pressure monitoring, windscreen washers, shock absorber oil misting, and reversing lamps. Systemic faults barely register: even the most common design-adjacent items appear once or twice in the entire fleet extract.
For a buyer, that profile points to a mechanically dependable saloon where MOT outcomes hinge mainly on how the previous keeper maintained it. Rising defect volumes from 2022 onwards — owner-maintenance notes climbed from 199 that year to 447 in 2025 — reflect a maturing fleet picking up age-related wear, not a sudden reliability crisis. Walk the tyres carefully, verify lights and washers work, and treat any dashboard warning lamp seriously. None of this replaces checking one registration on GOV.UK or a pre-purchase inspection, but it does tell you what testers most often find when they put a used Toyota Camry on the ramp.
What this doesn't tell you
This report describes model-level MOT trends, not the condition of any individual vehicle.
Two identical Toyota Camry models can have very different maintenance histories.
Use this report to understand common patterns before inspecting a specific car.
How we classify MOT faults
We group recorded DVSA defect wording into four research categories to help identify whether issues are more likely to reflect routine maintenance, expected wear, recurring model patterns or miscellaneous inspection outcomes.
- Owner maintenance
- Defects often linked to day-to-day upkeep — for example tyres, lamps, washers and other items a careful owner can usually prevent or fix promptly.
- Wear & tear
- Age- and mileage-related deterioration that accumulates with normal use, even when a car has been looked after.
- Systemic
- Recurring wording and patterns that appear across the model fleet and may point to design, component or known-model tendencies rather than one careless owner.
- Other
- Inspection outcomes that do not sit cleanly in the three groups above, including mixed or less classifiable defect notes.
How MOT failures break down
Share of recorded defect notes by category for Toyota Camry in this age band (not MOT tests and not number of vehicles).
- Owner maintenance
77.3% · 1,652
defect notes
- Wear & tear
7.2% · 153
defect notes
- Systemic
1.1% · 24
defect notes
- Other
14.4% · 308
defect notes
Severity mix
How those defect notes were graded — advisory, minor, major or dangerous — summed across categories for this model band.
Advisory
1,679
defect notes
Minor
187
defect notes
Major
180
defect notes
Dangerous
91
defect notes
Most Common Owner-Maintenance Faults
DVSA wording grouped as owner maintenance for this model and age band.
Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge
- Recorded
- 743 MOT defect notes
- DVSA code
- 5.2.3 (e)
What it means
Tread is close to (or at) the legal minimum, or wear is concentrated on an edge. That often points to alignment, pressure or suspension issues as well as simple age.
Why it happens
Under-inflation, poor alignment, aggressive driving or simply delayed replacement push tread below a safe/legal profile.
Buyer tip
Measure tread across the full width, check tyre age (DOT date) and look for uneven inner-edge wear.
Severity
Usually maintenance related
Headlamp aim too low
- Recorded
- 27 MOT defect notes
- DVSA code
- 4.1.2 (a)
What it means
This MOT defect usually indicates incorrect headlamp alignment following adjustment, suspension movement or repair work.
Why it happens
Aim drifts after suspension work, bumper repairs, bulb changes or simply from road vibration over time.
Buyer tip
Check beam alignment during inspection and ask whether the lamps were aimed after any recent suspension or bodywork.
Severity
Usually maintenance related
Tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative
- Recorded
- 14 MOT defect notes
- DVSA code
- 5.2.3 (h)
What it means
The tyre pressure monitoring system is reporting a fault or is clearly not working, so you may not get a dashboard warning of under-inflation.
Why it happens
Flat battery sensors after tyre changes, damaged valves or control-module faults are common.
Buyer tip
Confirm whether sensors need replacing after recent tyre or wheel work, and check pressures manually anyway.
Severity
Usually maintenance related
Windscreen washer not working
- Recorded
- 11 MOT defect notes
- DVSA code
- 3.5 (a)
What it means
Washer jets are not delivering fluid. Testers need a clear screen; empty reservoirs, blocked jets or failed pumps are common.
Why it happens
Empty bottles, frozen/blocked jets, split pipes or a failed pump stop fluid reaching the screen.
Buyer tip
Top up fluid, test the jets on the driveway, and check for cracked bottles or split pipes in the engine bay.
Severity
Usually maintenance related
Shock absorbers has light misting of oil
- Recorded
- 11 MOT defect notes
- DVSA code
- 5.3.2 (b)
What it means
A damper mounting bush is worn, which can cause knocks, vague handling and accelerated tyre wear.
Why it happens
Rubber bushes harden and tear with age, road salt and repeated suspension movement.
Buyer tip
Listen for clunks over speed bumps and have a mechanic check top mounts and lower bushes.
Severity
Usually maintenance related
Reversing lamp inoperative
- Recorded
- 6 MOT defect notes
- DVSA code
- 4.6.1 (a)
What it means
This wording appears on DVSA MOT records for this model. It flags a tester-observed defect or advisory that can affect safety, legality or a future pass.
Why it happens
These issues often build up when routine checks are skipped between services — tyres, lamps and washers are typical examples.
Buyer tip
Ask the seller for invoices covering this item, and have an independent inspector confirm whether it is still present.
Severity
Usually maintenance related
Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect
- Recorded
- 4 MOT defect notes
- DVSA code
- 4.1.2 (c)
What it means
This MOT defect usually indicates incorrect headlamp alignment following adjustment, suspension movement or repair work.
Why it happens
Aim drifts after suspension work, bumper repairs, bulb changes or simply from road vibration over time.
Buyer tip
Check beam alignment during inspection and ask whether the lamps were aimed after any recent suspension or bodywork.
Severity
Usually maintenance related
fog lamp switch missing
- Recorded
- 3 MOT defect notes
- DVSA code
- 4.5.3 (a)
What it means
This wording appears on DVSA MOT records for this model. It flags a tester-observed defect or advisory that can affect safety, legality or a future pass.
Why it happens
These issues often build up when routine checks are skipped between services — tyres, lamps and washers are typical examples.
Buyer tip
Ask the seller for invoices covering this item, and have an independent inspector confirm whether it is still present.
Severity
Usually maintenance related
Most Common Wear & Tear Faults
DVSA wording grouped as wear and tear for this model and age band.
No wear-and-tear items in this extract.
Most Common Systemic Faults
DVSA wording grouped as systemic patterns for this model and age band.
Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread cracked
- Recorded
- 2 MOT defect notes
- DVSA code
- 0.1 (b)
What it means
The number plate is cracked, deteriorated or hard to read. Plates must remain legible and securely fitted.
Why it happens
Age, stone chips, poor replacements or mounts that flex crack or fade plates.
Buyer tip
Budget for legal replacement plates; check fixing and any bike-rack or tow-bar obstruction.
Severity
Often a recurring model pattern
Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction
- Recorded
- 2 MOT defect notes
- DVSA code
- 8.2.1.2 (h)
What it means
The engine management warning lamp is on or not working. Stored faults can affect emissions, drivability and future MOT results.
Why it happens
Sensors, emissions equipment or wiring faults store codes that illuminate the MIL.
Buyer tip
Ask for a diagnostic printout and proof that the underlying fault — not just the lamp — was fixed.
Severity
Often a recurring model pattern
Lower Steering column universal joint has excessive wear or play
- Recorded
- 1 MOT defect notes
- DVSA code
- 2.2.2 (c)
What it means
Play or wear in a steering-column joint can feel like vagueness or a knock through the wheel.
Why it happens
Intermediate shaft joints wear with mileage and can develop free play.
Buyer tip
Have a technician check column UJs and intermediate shafts if you feel notchiness.
Severity
Often a recurring model pattern
Recent year-by-year category counts
Defect-note totals by calendar year in the serving extract (not MOT tests, not vehicles, and not a prediction).
| Year | Owner maintenance | Wear & tear | Systemic | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| defect notes | defect notes | defect notes | defect notes | |
| 2021 | 49 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 2022 | 199 | 2 | 2 | 34 |
| 2023 | 323 | 17 | 7 | 50 |
| 2024 | 440 | 49 | 8 | 84 |
| 2025 | 447 | 59 | 6 | 97 |
| 2026 | 172 | 26 | 1 | 29 |
Buying a used Toyota Camry: practical MOT checks
- Check tread depth on all four tyres, including the inner and outer edges where 743 fleet-wide defect notes flagged wear close to the legal limit.
- Switch on headlamps and confirm the beam aim looks correct — headlamp aim faults appear 27 times in the owner-maintenance category.
- Look for a TPMS warning light on the dashboard; 14 MOT records flagged a tyre pressure monitoring system that was malfunctioning or inoperative.
- Test the windscreen washer, reversing lamps, and look for oil misting on shock absorbers — each appears repeatedly in the defect log for deferred upkeep.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Toyota Camry MOT pass rate for 2016–2021 registrations?
- In Carmotiq's Toyota Camry extract for the 5–10 year registration era, the MOT pass rate is 93.4% across 3,792 recorded DVSA tests.
- What is the most common Toyota Camry MOT fault?
- Tyres worn close to the legal limit or worn on the edge is the highest-volume single defect, recorded 743 times. Headlamp aim too low is the next most frequent owner-maintenance item at 27.
- Does a high pass rate mean I can skip checking one car myself?
- No. A 93.4% fleet pass rate means most Toyota Camry examples in this age band pass MOT, but 2,137 defect notes were still recorded across those tests — including 90 classified as Dangerous in the owner-maintenance category. This page does not replace a physical inspection or a single-vehicle MOT history lookup on GOV.UK.